Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 17, Shloka 16

विभीषणागमनम्

Vibhīṣaṇa’s Arrival and the Debate on Refuge

Devanagari script

सोऽहंपरुषितस्तेनदासवच्चावमानितः ।त्यक्त्वापुत्रांश्चदारांश्चराघवंशरणंगतः ।।6.17.16।।

Transliteration

so 'haṃ paruṣitas tena dāsavac cāvamānitaḥ | tyaktvā putrāṃś ca dārāṃś ca rāghavaṃ śaraṇaṃ gataḥ ||

Translation

He spoke to me harshly and humiliated me, treating me like a slave; therefore, abandoning even my sons and wife, I have come to Rāghava seeking refuge.

Word by Word

• सः: he/that (person)
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परुषितः: harshly addressed/treated
• परुषितः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परुषय् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle/कर्मणि क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘harshly spoken to/treated’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दासवत्: like a slave
• दासवत्: Prakara (प्रकार/Adverbial manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दास (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverbial), उपमानार्थे ‘-वत्’ (like/as)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अवमानितः: insulted/humiliated
• अवमानितः: Karta-anubandha (कर्तृसम्बन्धे विशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-मान् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle/कर्मणि क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having abandoned’

• पुत्रान्: sons
• पुत्रान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दारान्: wife/wives
• दारान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (दाराः प्रायः बहुवचनान्त), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• राघवम्: Raghava (Rama)
• राघवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• शरणम्: refuge, protection
• शरणम्: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म; goal of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक-क्रियायां द्वितीया (goal)

• गतः: has gone/has come (seeking)
• गतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्तरि (past active participle/कर्तरि क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

"Leaving my sons and wife, I have come for protection of Raghava having been put to shame by him (Ravana), spoken to harshly and treated like a slave."

Characters & Entities

• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Rāvaṇa
• Rāghava (Rāma)
• sons

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Śaraṇāgati grounded in satya: when adharma rules one’s own side, dharma permits (and may require) seeking protection under the righteous, even at great personal sacrifice.

What is the narrative situation?

Vibhīṣaṇa explains why he has left Laṅkā: Rāvaṇa insulted him, and Vibhīṣaṇa has come to Rāma seeking asylum.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Renunciation and integrity—he relinquishes family security to uphold what he believes is right.